LOWELL -- Police Superintendent Kenneth Lavallee has tightened a key security measure at the booking window in response to an assault suspect who wasn't searched properly and was able to carry in his coat pocket a loaded 9 mm handgun into police headquarters Feb. 10.

The measure took effect Feb. 14, the same day The Sun published a story about the gun incident. Lavallee has directed shift commanders to oversee the booking process from the moment a prisoner steps from the transport wagon in the Police Department garage until he is locked behind bars.

"This creates an added level of security," said Lavallee in explaining his decision to The Sun. "Plus, each of these shift commanders now has a personal stake in the matter."

More than a decade ago, shift commanders did just that. However, the department drifted away from that practice as the previous superintendent, Edward Davis, made a determination such oversight wasn't needed, Lavallee said.

Shift commanders are usually captains who oversee the department's three shifts. Currently, they are Kevin Stavely, who oversees the day shift; Randall Humphrey, who works the second shift; and Thomas Meehan, on the overnight. They are all members of the union that represents superior officers and all earn more than $100,000 a year.

Dowling, Lavallee said, followed proper protocol in ensuring that Kang didn't require medical addition, before returning to his post.

Under the new protocol, Dowling would have met the transport wagon in the garage and stayed with the process until Kang was behind bars. Presumably, Dowling would have also ensured Kang was properly searched in the field by the arresting officer and the officer operating the wagon, which apparently did not happen in this case.

Kang was allegedly involved in a brawl outside the SAC Club in the Acre that also resulted in four other arrests. Kang was charged with disorderly conduct, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, unlawful carrying of a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery, and was being held on bail.

When a Lowell police officer makes an arrest, in nearly all cases the suspect is transported to the station in the "wagon." Protocol calls for the arresting officer to frisk the suspect, as well as the officer driving the wagon. Officer Casimir Czarnionka, who arrested Kang, wrote in his report on the incident: "I had not been able to frisk Kang after handcuffing him due to the continuous and intentional interference" by the other suspects.

Police Capt. Kelly Richardson, the department's spokesman, said no doubt it was a "chaotic" scene outside the SAC Club, "but the bottom line is, a loaded weapon should not have made it into the Lowell Police Department's booking window."

Richardson said protocol does call for two searches in the field, followed by a third at the booking window, performed by the officer driving the transport wagon. The officer operating the wagon was Paul Thomas. The incident is now the subject of an internal probe. The gun was discovered during the booking process.

Superior officers met with Lavallee late Thursday afternoon. Sgt. Thomas Fleming, union president, said the union "is not opposed to a change in policy that leads to better supervision at the booking window.

"However, it creates a problem in others areas, particularly, who is going to oversee the shift?"

Fleming noted that the department made more than 5,000 arrests in 2012, and that's a lot of bookings for shift commanders to oversee.

Fleming said the union will continue discussing the issue.

Lavallee, however, said besides the shift commander, an officer is also stationed at the front desk during each shift. Furthermore, he said a lieutenant and sergeant also work each shift, and they are capable of overseeing any incident in the field or in the station.

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